Herbal Tea for Period Cramps and Menopause Symptoms: What Research Shows
See what trials of chamomile, ginger, fennel and red clover found for period cramps and menopause symptoms, how rarely the tea itself was tested, and the safety cautions.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Natural products can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read herbal tea and extract safety before you use anything on this page.
Severe period pain or symptoms that disrupt daily life need a clinician, not just a tea. The NHS says to see a GP if period pain is severe or worse than usual and painkillers have not helped, or if it stops you doing your usual daily activities. [1] If you take warfarin or other medicines, ask a pharmacist before using chamomile or other herbs. [2] For heavy or irregular bleeding, see heavy or irregular periods.
Period cramps: what research shows
Plants named in the sources: chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L., flower heads), ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe, rhizome), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill., seeds), cinnamon. [5]| Question | What the source found | Evidence label | Form and people studied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplements overall (Cochrane, 2016) | No high-quality evidence for any dietary supplement for painful periods, and evidence of safety is lacking. [3] | Insufficient evidence | 27 trials, 3,101 women, mostly students in their late teens or early twenties; many formulations |
| Chamomile | Data against placebo were unsuitable for analysis; one trial of 160 women suggested it beat an anti-inflammatory painkiller, which Cochrane called very limited evidence. [3] | Insufficient evidence | Formulation not described in the abstract |
| Fennel | No consistent evidence of effectiveness against placebo in one trial. [3] A separate 2020 pooled analysis of 9 studies reported less pain with cinnamon, fennel and ginger. [6] | Mixed | Mixed preparations |
| Ginger | A 2024 pooled analysis of 12 trials reported less pain than placebo and no difference from anti-inflammatory painkillers, though results varied widely between trials (I2 81%). Safety data were infrequently reported. [7] | Promising but limited | Forms not stated in the abstract |
| Chamomile plus L-theanine drink | In 30 young women, the group given the drink had lower pain scores than at baseline; the control was a chamomile-flavored drink. [8] | Promising but limited | A blended beverage, so it cannot show what chamomile tea alone does |
Proper evidence not found for plain chamomile, ginger or fennel tea against placebo in cramps; we searched PubMed for chamomile with dysmenorrhea and for tea with menstrual pain and found the trials above, not a placebo trial of the plain tea.
Menopause symptoms: what research shows
| Question | What the source found | Evidence label | Form and people studied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herbal remedies generally | The NHS says there is very little evidence on how well they work or how safe they are, naming red clover and black cohosh. [4] | Insufficient evidence | Not tea-specific |
| Phytoestrogens and hot flushes | A 2015 pooled analysis of 15 trials reported fewer hot flushes with oral phytoestrogens than placebo. [9] | Promising but limited | Oral phytoestrogens (search terms included soy and red clover); trials ran 3 to 12 months |
| Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) | A 2021 meta-analysis found fewer hot flushes a day than placebo and asked for better studies. [10] | Promising but limited | Isoflavone extract, not tea |
| Saffron tea (Crocus sativus L.) | In 72 postmenopausal women, happiness scores rose more than in the control group. This is a mood outcome, not hot flushes. [11] | Promising but limited | Tea, one trial |
| Sage, other teas and hot flushes | Proper evidence not found for tea: searches of PubMed for herbal tea with menopause, with hot flashes, and for sage with hot flushes returned only the saffron tea trial and a study of "herbal tea capsules". [12] | None found | Not applicable |
Related pages
Period pain and menstrual cycle health, perimenopause and menopause, ginger tea, chamomile tea and herbs for menopause symptoms.Frequently asked questions
Does chamomile tea help period cramps?
Proper evidence not found for plain chamomile tea against placebo. A Cochrane review called the chamomile data unsuitable for analysis or very limited. [3]
Does ginger tea ease cramps?
Pooled trials of ginger report less pain than placebo, but the forms were not stated in the abstract and results varied widely. [7]
Is there a tea for hot flashes?
Proper evidence not found for tea. Reviews we read tested red clover and other phytoestrogen products. [10][9]
Is herbal tea safe with menopause medicines?
The NHS says some herbal remedies may cause serious side effects with other medicines. Ask a pharmacist. [4]
Can I drink chamomile tea if I am allergic to ragweed?
NCCIH says allergic reactions are more likely in people allergic to ragweed and daisy-family plants. Ask a clinician first. [2]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety
- Allergy. NCCIH says allergic reactions to chamomile are more likely in people allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds or daisies. [2]
- Medicines. Chamomile interactions with warfarin and some medicines cleared by the liver have been reported. The NHS warns that some herbal remedies may cause serious side effects with other medicines. [2][4] See how interactions work.
- Pregnancy. NCCIH says little is known about chamomile in pregnancy. See red raspberry leaf tea and pregnancy and breastfeeding. [2]
- Hormone-sensitive conditions. Proper evidence not found in the sources we read for tea; ask a clinician about phytoestrogen herbs.
References
- NHS. Period pain. Read 2026-10-23.
- NCCIH. Chamomile: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-23.
- Dietary supplements for dysmenorrhoea. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews. 2016. PubMed 27000311. Read 2026-10-23.
- NHS. Menopause: treatment. Read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy species match (accepted names and families for Hibiscus sabdariffa L., Ilex paraguariensis A.St.-Hil., Cinnamomum verum J.Presl, Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Matricaria chamomilla L., Foeniculum vulgare Mill., Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench, Sambucus nigra L., Trifolium pratense L., Crocus sativus L., Crataegus monogyna Jacq. and Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze). Read 2026-10-23.
- Efficacy of herbal medicine (cinnamon/fennel/ginger) for primary dysmenorrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. The Journal of international medical research. 2020. PubMed 32603204. Read 2026-10-23.
- Ginger for Pain Management in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of integrative and complementary medicine. 2024. PubMed 38770631. Read 2026-10-23.
- Effects of chamomile and -theanine beverage on menstrual pain, menstrual symptoms, mood, and sleep quality in young women experiencing primary dysmenorrhea: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Journal of food and drug analysis. 2025. PubMed 41525193. Read 2026-10-23.
- Efficacy of phytoestrogens for menopausal symptoms: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society. 2015. PubMed 25263312. Read 2026-10-23.
- Evaluation of Clinical Meaningfulness of Red Clover (Trifolium pratense L.) Extract to Relieve Hot Flushes and Menopausal Symptoms in Peri- and Post-Menopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2021. PubMed 33920485. Read 2026-10-23.
- The effect of Crocus sativus L. (saffron) herbal tea on happiness in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. BMC complementary medicine and therapies. 2023. PubMed 37264347. Read 2026-10-23.
- The effect of herbal tea capsule on menopause hot flashes. Journal of family medicine and primary care. 2018. PubMed 30598960. Read 2026-10-23.